


Ironwood Fucking Dies

by manganeko96



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Clover Ebi Lives, Gen, I can't believe it's not Crack, I murdered Ironwood before the writers could, Qrow Branwen Needs a Hug, Spoilers: Volume 7 (RWBY), Winter saves the plot, does this count as spoilers?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:20:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27599476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manganeko96/pseuds/manganeko96
Summary: Ironwood is dead :(
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Ironwood Fucking Dies

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to play with the ending of volume 7, and this galaxy brain idea came to me at 1am. Enjoy this alternate ending.

Ironwood massages his temples, thoughts racing about the damage control he would have to do. He can’t help the anger that flares up when he thinks back on Team RWBY and what they did. He welcomed them into Atlas, dismissing any criminal charges for stealing military property and illegally entering Mantle. He provided facilities and supplies, even upgrading their weapons, and they decided to keep secrets. Were they laughing at his attempts to combat Salem, knowing it would all be useless in the end? Instead they decide that a random vigilante was more trustworthy than him? Robyn could have been working for Salem for all they knew!

“Sir? Are you alright?” Winter asks, breaking him out of his thoughts. She places a hand on his good arm. “Are you in pain or-”

“It’s not my arm. I’ve dealt with worse than this,” Ironwood interrupts. “I know you must be confused about the arrest order, but I don’t know what else to do! They’ve been keeping deadly secrets, going behind my back, and I just want them all in one place so I can keep an eye on them. I’m… I just…”

“Sir,” Winter says softly, “I trust your decision. I can’t allow my personal connection to the matter get in the way of what needs to be done. Just promise me you won’t act rashly.”

Ironwood takes a breath and tries to relax. “You’re right. I need to think through my next course of action. Winter, go protect Fria.”

“I sent Penny ahead to her room, sir. I was going to go with her, but I was worried about you,” Winter trails off, averting her eyes. “I will join her immediately and prepare for battle.”

“Actually Winter, I want you to go to the vault.”

Winter’s eyes widen. “Sir? Why the vault?”

“I was planning to go there myself, but that’s probably what they are expecting. I need to call Clover and make sure everything is going smoothly with Tyrian’s arrest.” Ironwood explains, pulling out his scroll.

“You don’t think Qrow would…”

“No, but I can’t afford to make assumptions. That’s what landed me in this situation in the first place.” Ironwood’s face hardened. “I want to believe in them, but if they don’t value my trustworthiness, why should I give them the benefit of the doubt?”

“I understand, sir,” Winter salutes. “I will protect the vault at any cost.”

“Good. Tell the Ace-Ops to back Penny up after detaining Team RWBY and their allies. We can’t let anything happen to Fria or the relic.”

* * *

“Clover, status report.”

“General, I’ve taken steps to detain Qrow, but Robyn-” Clashing metal cuts off Clover.

“He just wants those who oppose him out of the way!” Robyn shouts over the clash of weapons. The next few moments are filled only with the sounds of the ensuing fight and muffled arguing.

“Clover! What’s happening?” Ironwood shouts, but the call cuts out after an ominous crash. Wasting no time, Ironwood tracks the coordinates of Clover’s scroll. He sprints towards the hangar where the hover bikes are kept. Sparing no time for explanations, Ironwood quickly kicks the bike off the ground and speeds to the wastes.

Once outside the city limits, it’s easy to pinpoint the location of the crash. Ironwood pushes the bike more, deciding against slowing down for the descent. When he is close enough to the ground, Ironwood launches himself off the bike, landing with a roll to soften the impact. He grits his teeth, ignoring the throbbing protest from his burned arm. The battle scene is dire, and he worries he was too late. Qrow and Clover are in the middle of a fight with no signs of Tyrian or Robyn.

“Clover! Qrow!” Ironwood shouts, relieved the two aren’t injured from the crash. He pulls out his gun, but aims it at the ground.

Qrow turns to look at Ironwood, distracted from the fight. Clover uses this to his advantage and rips Qrow’s weapon out of his grasp.

“Clover, look for Tyrian and Robyn. I’ll handle the situation here.”

Qrow, now disarmed, shoots him a disgusted look. “What now?” Qrow spits. “Are you gonna shoot me? You always said if I was ‘one of your men, you’d have me shot!’”

Ironwood keeps his weapon pointed at the ground, wanting to attempt to talk things out. He can’t act rashly, not now. “Qrow, you know I wouldn’t do that!”

Qrow laughs bitterly. “How do I know you wouldn’t, General? How do I know? What makes you think I can trust you?”

“I don’t want to fight you! Tyrian is the bigger concern!” Ironwood pleads, scanning the area for any signs of the scorpion faunus.

“And what will happen after that? You want to arrest me! You want to arrest the kids! They’re just trying to do what’s right!” Qrow shouts, angrily approaching Ironwood.

Ironwood points his gun at Qrow, causing Qrow to stop in his tracks. “You think I’m not trying to do what’s right? I want to keep as many people safe as I can! I’m evacuating as many citizens to Mantle as I can! Salem isn’t an enemy we can face the way we are now!”

“You haven’t done anything to earn my trust! You’re just a power-hungry dictator who is willing to do anything for your ‘cause!’ So tell me, _why_ should I trust you?” Qrow growls, staring at Ironwood’s gun.

Ironwood flips his gun, holding the barrel in a way he did so long ago during the Grimm invasion of Vale. “Because I trust you! You’re one of Ozpin’s comrades, one of _my_ comrades. Despite all logic telling me otherwise, I still trust you!”

It was at that moment that Qrow’s expression morphed into one of horror. Ironwood feels a burning pain erupting in his gut. He looks down, seeing a familiar sword sticking out of his abdomen. He hears a mad cackle from behind him as he collapses onto the snow.

“This is _so_ much better than what I had planned! Who knew the General himself would make an appearance! It was so kind of you to give me an opening, Qrow!” Tyrian jeers. “We took him down together! Defeating the mad dictator and toppling his empire!” He slides Harbinger out of Ironwood’s body, letting the general’s body fall into the blood stained snow.

“You sick son of a bitch! What have you done?” Qrow runs to Ironwood’s side.

“I think the question is ‘what have _you_ done?’ It’s not my weapon piercing the General’s stomach. As far as anyone else knows, you finally took down that pesky Ironwood yourself! Who could blame you anyway? You never got along in the first place!” Tyrian cackles again, tossing the weapon aside. “I would love to stay and see how this plays out, but I really must be going! It’s been a pleasure, really!” Tyrian steals the abandoned hover bike and drives into the distance.

Qrow tears off one of his sleeves, attempting to staunch the bleeding. “You’ll come back from this, you always have! Just another piece of metal to add to the collection, right?” Qrow says frantically, pressing down on the wound.

“Qrow…” Ironwood rasps, coughing up a glob blood. Tears blur Qrow’s vision as he fails to slow the bleeding.

“Don’t you dare give up on me James!” Qrow sobs.

“Qrow... it’s not... your fault,” Ironwood gasps. He shakily raises his good arm and puts his hand on Qrow’s shoulder, “No… Aura...”

Qrow tries to press the wound together, cursing his misfortune. “Damn it! We might not have gotten along, but I never wanted you to die for me!” Ironwood smiles and his arm slips down into the snow.

“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! You self sacrificing idiot James!” Qrow cries, slamming his fist against Ironwood’s cold metal chest.

Clover emerges from the wreckage, dragging Robyn’s unconscious body. “I couldn’t find Tyrian but- James!” Clover drops Robyn and runs to Ironwood’s side. “No no no no no no NO!”

“Clover, I-”

“You did this!” Clover screams. “You got him killed! He was just trying his best and… and…” Clover breaks down sobbing.

“I’m turning myself in,” Qrow tells Clover. “There’s been enough bloodshed today.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have a lot of feelings about James Ironwood.


End file.
